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One Day Masonic Class/Journey

Jasko Hodzic

Registered User
Hi,

My petition got approved and I will be starting my masonic journey with a 1 day class (not at my lodge).
The question I have is, will I miss out on anything by doing the 1 day class rather than traditional way (1 degree each month)? Did any of you do the 1 day class? How was it?
Also, if I do the 1 day class, I will become Master Mason in that day.
Will it be awkward when I show up at my lodge on the next meeting?
Will they look at me differently?

I would appreciate any advice any one of you can provide to help me on my journey.

Thanks
 

Levelhead

Premium Member
Yes you will miss out on the WHOLE masonic experience. You will learn anything nor be able to answer any questions when examined.

We just talked about this at our monthly round table.

Do it right. No need to rush.

Id straight up laugh at you if you confronted me after the fact.

Knowledge and memory is a strong part of freemasonry.

Whats the rush? Are you using the blue lodge ad a hallway to an appendant body?


Every single person in your lodge who worked hard and took up to a year yo get raised will look at you with no respect for dedication or hard work.

Guy just shows up and is now a MM.

I would absolutely give you no respect as a MM.

Your missing out on the whole story, the learning , the knowledge.
 
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Zack

Registered User
Jasko,
I agree with most of the above post except;
I would not laugh at you.
I would not look you as a fool.
I would not not give you respect as a MM.

Although I am steadfastly against ODCs except in certain situations I know one-day Masons who have been a real credit to the Fraternity.
That being said, I would suggest you not do it.
 

pointwithinacircle2

Rapscallion
Premium Member
While I would not have worded my reply as strongly as Levelhead, I agree that his basic conclusion is correct. Being Initiated, Passed, and Raised are experiences. While the ceremonies contain knowledge, they are not primarily knowledge. They are designed to allow your consciousness to take a new form. I would compare this to forming clay. You can read a book and gain knowledge about forming clay. You can learn by watching others form clay. But this is not the same experience as being the clay.
 
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Levelhead

Premium Member
I might have been too straight foward. Sorry. But we just had a debate on this last night at lodge.


I guess im seeing it kinda like sitting down with someone discussing high school then printing out a graduation certificate. Then they go get or try to get the same job you are applying for just cause they have "the certificate" but cant read or write.
 
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JJones

Moderator
I saw this thread shortly after it was posted...I didn't want to be the first poster because I was afraid I'd come on strong...Levelhead did it anyhow though, not that I disagree with most of he said. I wouldn't laugh at a brother for it...he might not have had any idea it was done any other way when he received his degrees.

Crono has the right idea. This has been discussed over and over...I'd suggest you do a search on the forums to get a better idea of ODC's. I'm against them and I've argued my piece on those threads, check them out if you want to see why.
 

RyanC

Registered User
Let me start by saying I am a new Mason, less than a year. Yes you would miss out on a lot, I learned a lot about myself by the studying degrees and bonding with the Brothers in my lodge while doing so. Masonry is not a race it is a lifetime, I would talk to the WM about doing all the Degrees with your lodge it will mean so much more to you and them.
 
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kastonw

Premium Member
I'm aginst the one day classes becouse I feel it takes away from the experience for the candidate I feel if we rush them through it they wont get alot out of it. This appinion is based on myself I went through my Blue Lodge degrees over the corse of a year I had to learn the work but I also had time to think about my oblgations I have recently went through the York Rite degrees over the corse of a 2 day class and tho I really enjoyed it I don't feel I as if I rushed through it but this is my appinion.
 
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Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Actually,the traditional way would be the --two-- degrees, in the same day. See D. Stephenson, the First Freemasons.
 

Jasko Hodzic

Registered User
Thanks everyone for their replies.
Levelhead thanks for your reply, but those harsh words are the reason why the 1 day classes are necessary.
It is folks like you that give bad name to Masonry and Lodges are forced to organize 1 day classes.
I did not think that there is place in Masonry for "I would laugh at you, I would look down at you, not give you respect"
It was really uncalled for from you. All I asked for was an advice, but thanks anyway.

I am not a fan of having to take the 1 day class, but here is why I am doing it.
My Lodge meets 2nd Tuesday in the month at 7:30PM. I can attend those meetings without any problems.
The Degree work is done on Saturday morning and that is when I am at work.
All of our major projects at work are done on Saturdays.

That is why I have no choice other then to take the 1 day class.
I am planning to contact one of the Lodges in the area that does Degree work during regular time
and ask them to watch the ritual. That way I can see what experience I might have missed out.

Jasko
 

Levelhead

Premium Member
Thanks everyone for their replies.
Levelhead thanks for your reply, but those harsh words are the reason why the 1 day classes are necessary.
It is folks like you that give bad name to Masonry and Lodges are forced to organize 1 day classes.
I did not think that there is place in Masonry for "I would laugh at you, I would look down at you, not give you respect"
It was really uncalled for from you. All I asked for was an advice, but thanks anyway.

I am not a fan of having to take the 1 day class, but here is why I am doing it.
My Lodge meets 2nd Tuesday in the month at 7:30PM. I can attend those meetings without any problems.
The Degree work is done on Saturday morning and that is when I am at work.
All of our major projects at work are done on Saturdays.

That is why I have no choice other then to take the 1 day class.
I am planning to contact one of the Lodges in the area that does Degree work during regular time
and ask them to watch the ritual. That way I can see what experience I might have missed out.

Jasko

Looks like YOU don't have the time to put towards masonry.

If you cant put in the time for degrees then you wont be able to put in the time to help the lodge.

Don't tell me what masonry needs. Your not even a mason to speak about it. Nor will your one day class teach you enough to even vouch for your self.

You know what we need? You want to know what MASONRY NEEDS???

More dedicated people to help, mentor, and be active in the blue lodge.

WE DONT NEED people who just wear a ring & say there a mason. WE GOT ENOUGH OF THOSE!

My advice to you, find a lodge that fits your schedule and don't look for the easy way out. In sure there are lodges that will fit your schedule.

Don't cheat your self or the brothers out of a full enlightened experience.

Im going to do a one day college diploma and then go watch a doctor do a surgery, hope my first patient survives!

Watch the degrees? You will look like a fool when you go to another lodge, get "tried & denied"

I truly dont want you to go through that. You will be embarrassed.
 
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dfreybur

Premium Member
Let's be clear about one thing - The degrees are about the candidate not about the degree team. Those of us who have already been through ours have a very hard time getting past that.

The Scottish Rite have been doing classes you over a century and the SR is doing well. Clearly classes work. The SR went though that trauma long enough ago that none remember that time. This is just a repeat of that same trauma. Plus sa change, plus sa meme chose.

Some candidates want faster progress through the degrees. I've served in line with brothers who did 2 degrees together. There are plenty of PMs who did 3 degrees together. I've seen a brother literally decline/forget to show up at his own second degree at lodge yet show up to a 2 degree class and end up in the line conferring degrees. Please understand that you will need to work through your proficiencies anyways before you can do anything other than attend meetings and pay your dues. But once you have delivered your proficiencies you will have put the same amount of work into your degrees as the rest of us. If all you want is a ring and a place to donate you will have the ability to chose what some view as a second class membership. We'll take your checks but please, please, please do your proficiencies, do the work. Do the work and the objections you read here will phase away into fellowship.

In the new generation most candidates prefer the slower more verbose form of progress. The proficiency work comes spread out and because we see the degrees and the proficiencies our perception of drop out is less.

I offer two topics -

1) How mystical are you? The first degree is a mystical initiation for those of mystical mind set. It's a fraternal initiation for those of fraternal mind set. They are very different but not in conflict. You can have either, both or neither depending on your own viewpoint. The difference is the class approach makes the mystical change not practical. If you're interested in Kabalah, hermeticism and related topics you're losing that by taking the classes. If those topics don't interest you, as long as you do the work and present your proficiencies the harsh comments here are safely read, considered and discarded.

2) If you can't attend the Saturday events and have the choice to become a member of a lodge whose events you can attend, could you please explain to my why you chose one lodge over the other? It doesn't seem to me like you've made a wise decision in choosing lodges because of this issue independent of the class versus individual degree issue.
 

Levelhead

Premium Member
And i wouldn't consider a 1 day class a "journey". Just cause you walk in Hiram's shoes down the hall don't mean you lived his experience.

-levelhead
 

MaineMason

Registered User
I did a one day class for Scottish Rite. I did my Royal Arch degrees like I did my Blue Lodge degrees: in steps of months, and learning my proficiencies, which I did in open lodge, and then I got right in line.

It is my personal--and I repeat personal--opinion that a one day class is fine for Scottish Rite, but not good for Blue or Red Lodge. In my particular Grand Lodge, it's not permitted for the first three degrees. Not only that, but we are required to recite our proficiencies. I don't know how one could do that in one day.
 

MaineMason

Registered User
And i wouldn't consider a 1 day class a "journey". Just cause you walk in Hiram's shoes down the hall don't mean you lived his experience.

-levelhead
I would suggest some York Rite stuff to learn more about Master Hiram. To be fair, I'd also suggest some Scottish Rite degrees. The legend, so called, about Hiram and the two Kings is worth knowing about.
 

MaineMason

Registered User
Let's be clear about one thing - The degrees are about the candidate not about the degree team. Those of us who have already been through ours have a very hard time getting past that.

The Scottish Rite have been doing classes you over a century and the SR is doing well. Clearly classes work. The SR went though that trauma long enough ago that none remember that time. This is just a repeat of that same trauma. Plus sa change, plus sa meme chose.

Some candidates want faster progress through the degrees. I've served in line with brothers who did 2 degrees together. There are plenty of PMs who did 3 degrees together. I've seen a brother literally decline/forget to show up at his own second degree at lodge yet show up to a 2 degree class and end up in the line conferring degrees. Please understand that you will need to work through your proficiencies anyways before you can do anything other than attend meetings and pay your dues. But once you have delivered your proficiencies you will have put the same amount of work into your degrees as the rest of us. If all you want is a ring and a place to donate you will have the ability to chose what some view as a second class membership. We'll take your checks but please, please, please do your proficiencies, do the work. Do the work and the objections you read here will phase away into fellowship.

In the new generation most candidates prefer the slower more verbose form of progress. The proficiency work comes spread out and because we see the degrees and the proficiencies our perception of drop out is less.

I offer two topics -

1) How mystical are you? The first degree is a mystical initiation for those of mystical mind set. It's a fraternal initiation for those of fraternal mind set. They are very different but not in conflict. You can have either, both or neither depending on your own viewpoint. The difference is the class approach makes the mystical change not practical. If you're interested in Kabalah, hermeticism and related topics you're losing that by taking the classes. If those topics don't interest you, as long as you do the work and present your proficiencies the harsh comments here are safely read, considered and discarded.

2) If you can't attend the Saturday events and have the choice to become a member of a lodge whose events you can attend, could you please explain to my why you chose one lodge over the other? It doesn't seem to me like you've made a wise decision in choosing lodges because of this issue independent of the class versus individual degree issue.
I am mysical enough and wear the black and gold of the Massacusetts Consistory.
 

MarkR

Premium Member
...Id straight up laugh at you if you confronted me after the fact.

Every single person in your lodge who worked hard and took up to a year yo get raised will look at you with no respect for dedication or hard work.

Guy just shows up and is now a MM.

...I would absolutely give you no respect as a MM.
This may be one of the most unMasonic posts I've ever seen.

We have a few one-day Masons in my Lodge. We treat them EXACTLY the same way we treat any other brother. One is now a Past Master of the Lodge and a very active, very productive member of the Lodge.
 
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